Buying cosmetics online can be easier, more rewarding, and sometimes even cheaper than buying out of a traditional store or cosmetics counter. Read on to find out the benefits for you and just how easy it can be to get your cosmetics online.

Steps

Part 1

Selecting the Cosmetics

1

Consider what cosmetics you actually want. If you've never used them before, purchasing online the first time is a bit risky, and it probably is a better day to visit a store and have a retailer help you with tips for your skin type, facial shape, etc. Once you're familiar with this, then you can be more confident that you're purchasing the right cosmetics.

If this is the first time you're trying a new color or brand, again, you might wish to at least get a sample before purchasing a whole lot from an online source. You won't be too happy if you discover it fails to match your complexion or just isn't "you".

2

Visit the manufacturer's website if you need help with the details about the cosmetics. A simple search for the manufacturer's name will often bring up their website to the top of the returns. Use the manufacturer's website to give you all of the information you're seeking about the products, the ingredients, the end uses, and so forth. Once you're happy you know enough, you can begin to search for suitable places to purchase it from.

Find out if the company can send you samples if you're trying something for the first time.

Part 2

Finding the Right Retailer

1

Begin with the manufacturer's website. In some cases, the manufacturer's site might provide recommended retailers; this can be helpful but don't feel that it's your only choice, as they may also be the most expensive sources.

If the brand of cosmetics you're after is not sold through a retailer, check the manufacturer's site. It may be that they only allow sales directly from their own site, especially if they're a boutique manufacturer. It should be clear when visiting the site that they only allow direct sales.

2

Ask your friends for suggestions. It's possible that one or more of your friends is already purchasing makeup online and they can be a useful source of trusted suggestions. Find out what prices they're paying and what they think of the service before making your decision.

3

If you know the brand of cosmetics you are wanting to buy and the department, boutique, pharmacy or other stores where it is commonly found, begin with a search for that store online. Also consider checking out various other possible sources:

Bargain resellers that include cosmetic lines

Auction traders, such as eBay

Specialist designer or trading stores that carry cosmetics lines; some require membership, either for free or for a nominal fee.

Try to find at least three different stores selling the same product, to give you the opportunity to compare the product pricing.

4

Narrow down the best source. If there are multiple retailers that sell the cosmetics item you want to buy, then the next part will be deciding which one to shop with. The benefit of shopping online is that you can check the prices of an item at many different locations without having to check at each store individually.

Part 3

Finding the Best Deal

1

Price shop from one retailer to the next if you have the time. In some cases, there may be price comparison sites available to use, in other cases you may need to select the most well-known discounters and compare them all individually for the cosmetics line. Open a new tab in your browser for each retailer, to make it easy for you to compare prices between them.

It might help to keep a list either on your computer or on paper, so that you can compare the prices across the columns.

2

Account for special deals or gifts, not just price. Be aware that price isn't always the deciding factor for the best deal; sometimes there is other incentives that you may want to take into consideration. These include gift with purchase events, reward programs, savings events, and online coupons. Always account for these possibilities before deciding on what you consider to be the best price.

Gift with purchase events are popular at department stores. During these events you can get free beauty products with a purchase from that particular brand. These gifts often include several sample/travel sized items and a cosmetic bag. They are often valued at more than $100. These are offered for limited times throughout the year at most department stores. The key to these saving events is timing, so sign up for beauty department emails from your favorite stores to keep updated.

Reward programs are popular at many stores and often offer you savings by giving you points based on how many dollars you spend with them. The points can then be redeemed for things such as coupons or free merchandise. This can factor into your retailer selection since the accumulation of points could save you money.

Savings events occur at varying times throughout the year and are often advertised in their sales advertisements or on the website itself. These events can vary in the types of promotions that are used. It could be a percentage off your purchase automatically or a BOGO (buy one get one) event.

Online coupons can save you money on your total purchase. Often coupons for retailers online are a percentage or set amount off your order. These coupon codes are usually entered in at checkout where your discount will be applied. Make sure that the coupon has a valid date and that all conditions are met (such as minimum amount spent).

3

Factor in mailing costs. If you have to pay more in shipping than the final price at the store, it's no longer good value. Be sure that whatever you buy is still good value when the shipping has been taken into account.

4

Try to sign up to alerts that warn you of upcoming sales. This will give you the opportunity to take advantage of every sales event at your favorite online retailers and stores.

Community Q&A

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Tips

Gift with Purchase (GWP) events can be hard to keep up with since a store will often feature only one brand GWP at a time. This can be made much easier by following websites that list the current events going on at all the stores at that time. For example, a site such as GWPjunkie.com offers a 'GWP Cheat Sheet' that tells you all of the stores that are having GWP events for Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique, among others. The relevant sites will vary from region to region and country to country.

Many real stores have an online presence, so sometimes it can be best to check their online offers and collect in-store to save on shipping costs (if they have any).